


Fighting For Life

by Arkotract



Series: Timebound Trilogy [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Adventure, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Dark Past, Darkness, Emotional Roller Coaster, Emotions, Exploration, Family Bonding, Fanfiction, Fights, Friendship/Love, Home, My First Fanfic, Near Death Experiences, Series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 12:57:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19724125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkotract/pseuds/Arkotract
Summary: Just when you think you've hit rock bottom, there's always a way to crawl back up, or sink even deeper.Frisk knows this feeling precisely. In August of 2015 she has committed the single most stupid mistake of her life, a life guaranteed to be much shorter now, falling into a mountain housing the Underground. A world of monsters and magic, but also nightmares of people and hatred aplenty. With danger blooming all around her, and more than a few monsters have set their sights on her. Including the imposing monarch, King Asgore, young Frisk must find a way to survive.How can a young, defenceless girl survive in a world where her kind is public enemy number one? Hunted by elite guards, constantly haunted by King Asgore, and running from unexpected dangers. Will Frisk have the determination to stay put on her journey and attempt to find a way out? Or will she succumb to the might of those stronger than her, and allow herself to become the Eighth Fallen Human?





	1. The Ninth Human

The young girl gripped her aching head softly, she seemed to be laying on a bed of soft objects of some description, but she didn't know what. Turning over slowly she saw she was lying on a bed of golden flowers, their soft petals must have broken her fall. Her entire body hurt like she had fallen from a two-storey building and, looking up she saw a single ray of radiant sunlight shining through a large opening in the mountainous roof. She seemed to have fallen into some kind of cavern inside of the mountain and somehow survived. How the girl hadn't suffered at least a concussion or broken bones at all from this was beyond her.

"That hurt a lot more than I thought it would, but what was I expecting? It's a massive hole in the mountain, of course falling down it would hurt." The young girl asked herself as she lifted herself into a sitting position, still clutching her head to stop the sudden dizziness that had accompanied the rapid movement, shielding her eyes from the sunlight. "Where am I?" The girl asked herself, looking around the dark, smooth walled cavern. There was nothing here except for smooth stone walls and the golden flowers that had broken her fall. Nothing except a pair of tall purple pillars that flanked a long, dark hallway she couldn't see through at the moment. Not when her eyes were still adjusting.

"There's an exit." The young girl muttered to herself as she limped over to the purple-coloured pillars. A dark hallway seemed to grow from between the pillars as the girl stopped quickly, her eyes adjusting to the near pitch darkness as she was now able to see down the hallways lightly and make out its dimensions. "There's only one way to go. I can't climb up, at least, not until I can find something to make into a rope" the young girl muttered again, afraid that something or someone would hear her if she spoke to loudly. Silently the young girl walked between the pillars.

The darkness seemed to envelop the young girl's vision but after a short while the dark walls that had seemed suffocating to her opened into another cavern. This one had another bed of golden flowers in the middle of the cavern and another ray of sunlight shone from above but, looking up the young girl saw that the roof was as solid as the walls and a similar pillar formation flanked another hallway, this one made of pink tiles and brightly lit, suggesting it led to a dwelling of some description. In the middle of the bed of flowers a single flower stood tall among the others with a perfectly straight stem and six beautifully shaped petals adorning its white centre in a circular shape as the girl couldn't hold back a sense of curiosity, to know why the flower was standing alone when the surrounding others had succumbed.

As the young girl approached the flower bed, the tallest flower seemed to sway slightly in the air, even though there was no breeze in the underground cavern. The young girl froze in place as a face suddenly appeared on the flower and the girl backed away quickly, frightened. "Get a grip. It's just a flower. You've got to be dreaming". The girl said to herself, reassessing her situation firmly as she examined the flower's expression.

The face looked normal and unassuming. With grey eyes and a kind smile on its face, no visible eyebrows but there seemed to be a few creases above its eyes similar in shape to eyebrows. Despite the welcoming premise, the flower's neutral expression seemed oddly suspicious. The young girl just stared in shock at the flower as it looked up at her and smiled as she managed to smile back, hoping to find some way to wake up from what she thought was a dream.

"Hi. I'm Flowey. Flowey the flower". The flower introduced himself, its voice was high-pitched but nowhere near squeaky, in fact it had a certain firmness to it. The young girl just stood there, lost for words and still aching all over but this shock had pulled all thought of pain out of her head so the thought of falling through a mountain didn't concern her as much as the thought of what she must have ingested to be seeing a talking flower.

"Umm. Hello" Flowey said again and this time the young girl answered, just not in the way it thought she would. "Am I dreaming? or am I talking to a flower? Sorry if that offended you." The young girl asked in her soft voice, apparently lost for both words and manners as Flowey replied quickly.

"Wait, dreaming?" Flowey asked, looking surprised. "No. I'm as real as you are. Wait, you haven't seen a monster yet haven't you?". Flowey added, raising two arm-like stems attached to its main stem with leaf-like hands attached to the end and pointing himself out. "I'm not sure if I am or not. Who exactly are you?" The young girl asked slowly, tugging on the collar of her sweater for a second while Flowey looked surprised.

"I already said that. I'm Flowey. I'm a monster. Doesn't get much simpler than that. Now, as far as introductions go this has been a pretty ordinary one so let's start from the beginning". Flowey told the young girl slightly sternly but dropping it's voice to a much more friendly tone. "You are not dreaming," Flowey told the girl in all seriousness as she nodded firmly.

"All right. I'll believe you. Besides, you are the only one I have met down here" the young girl answered, smiling as she looked at Flowey. The monster had a strange expression on its face. Was it amusement? The young girl sat down next to Flowey and spoke to him, wanting to know the details of her predicament. "Am I trapped down here or something?".

Flowey looked back at her and answered. "Yeah. Sorry about that anyway. Turns out you're on the opposite end of where you want to be. You want to be on the exit end of this place". Flowey told the young girl who looked worried and scared at this thought.

Flowey had the same strange look on his face as before when he answered again. "I don't know what I can do to help you and really I'm not sure if I care or not. Just it's dangerous out there for you. Yes, I know you're a human. You're not the first I've seen. I've seen seven of them from what I remember". Flowey told her sternly as the young girl stared at him with her bright green eyes.

Flowey looked straight at the young girl and said, not harshly but in a firm voice. "Look if I have one piece of advice for you, kid. This world is, like it or not, a kill or be killed world. Again, from personal experience. If you want to escape, kill. I know it's hard but if you don't then the monsters here will kill you in a second, I saw the king do some terrible stuff and that's what made me think this way so don't blame me," The young girl looked terrified and disgusted at this thought and stared appallingly at Flowey.

"Sorry. I got a bit carried away there, I do that sometimes. Although that doesn't mean I didn't mean it. "Flowey said to the young girl, looking downwards slightly but a strange look on his face not like that of before. This time he looked more serious and also strangely smiling? "Why is this world like that? Why will they kill me so quickly?" The young girl asked Flowey, and he looked up at her. The strange look on his face erased and a contemplative look replacing it.

"You know about souls, right? Well, to break the barrier keeping us all underground, we need seven human souls and monsters kill humans. Unluckily for you, you are that seventh soul". Flowey told her truthfully. The young girl looked scared again.

"Are you going to hurt me?" The young girl asked quickly as she suddenly backed away from Flowey. He looked insulted as he replied. "No. Well, yes, if you get on my bad side but I haven't had much company for twenty years down here".Flowey told the young girl who sat down next to him again, although a lot more cautiously this time.

"Sorry. I just want no one else to hurt me, and I don't want to hurt anyone else". The young girl told Flowey, tilting her head downwards and a look of sadness on her face as Flowey put a leaf-like hand in her shoulder, extending the stem as needed. "Wait. Anyone else? Who do you mean?". Flowey asked, showing concern for the obviously saddened young girl, unsure about how she hadn't noticed a massive hole in a mountaintop, much less climbed it in the first place in one day.

"I would rather not talk about it. It's a sensitive topic and I, no offence meant, but I barely even know you really," the young girl told Flowey. She placed a hand on her back as she said so but Flowey didn't need to hear the full story, speaking quickly as Frisk drew her arm away, still feeling extremely cautious of the monster however he certainly seemed to be gaining her trust.

"I shouldn't have asked. What's your name, anyway? You never told me." Flowey asked the young girl as Frisk replied after a short pause. "I don't like it, but he did tell me his name." Frisk thought to herself reasonably as Flowey waited patiently.

"I'm Frisk. I never really liked that name. I don't know what my parents were thinking when they named me". The young girl told Flowey, giving a short, awkward laugh that Flowey joined in on. This alone made Frisk feel much safer around the monster; this display of the fact he could accept humans.

"That's a unique name, haven't heard that one before." Flowey noted. He seemed to decide what to say for a moment before speaking. "I might as well teach you how the Underground works. It's a lot different from the Surface, obviously. "Flowey told Frisk, a small smile on his face that, to the scared young girl, looked oddly sinister.

"Wait what are you going to do!?" Frisk asked loudly, backing away from Flowey suddenly, her worried mindset at the moment making her possess an assuming attitude of future events.

"Shh, keep your voice down or someone will hear us. A monster who would hurt you willingly. Now hold out your arm like this and focus on yourself. Trust me, I'm not going to hurt you". Flowey told Frisk, holding his leaf-like hand out and opening the palm of his leaf and stem hand quickly to demonstrate.

Frisk copied him but focused entirely on herself, something she found difficult at the best of times and, in front of her a black board adorned with white letters appeared. Frisk stepped backwards in surprise but Flowey was wearing his same, slightly amused expression as he turned to address the surprised Frisk again.

"Great. Now hold your hand to your torso area, around halfway up your ribcage. Using both hands is a good idea for beginners and focus on yourself again. This one thing I'm showing you here is probably the most important thing you'll learn from me and you're going to need it for however long you stay down here. It's permanent what it changes about your anatomy but trust me it's nothing bad. Seven kids your age and younger, or older, have done this before with no consequence. It'll make you better, anyway." Flowey told Frisk response to Frisk's shocked and questioning look at permanent changes but she pushed her worried aside and she copied him again, but nothing happened when she pulled her hands away.

"I'm not trying hard enough. I've got to do this since I might be down here for a while. It's a permanent change if I pull it off but he told me seven humans have done this before me. If nothing bad happened to them because of this then it helps to know I'm not the first". Frisk told herself firmly as Flowey said. "Come on, you got it, just try a little harder, remember, you need to do this." Flowey said supportively as Frisk repeated her actions, slightly expecting nothing to appear in her hands but instead a bright red, heart-shaped object emerged slowly from her body and floated in her hand. The object was as big as Frisk's palm.

"Wow, you're really good at this, second try. It took the last human who fell down here about ten to get it right, or at least from what I remember. Now that there is your soul. That is everything you are. If that goes down, then your entire existence goes with it. Souls are really important down here and almost everything revolves around them. I'm serious about that going down though, soul injuries are real severe." Flowey told Frisk, staring straight into her bright green eyes to convey how important her soul is as she understood him perfectly but was curious about what her soul was.

"Why is my soul red?. Are there any other colours that you know about? What about the last human that fell? Do you remember their soul colour?". Frisk asked and Flowey laughed for a moment, recalling his memory as Frisk stood her ground this time.

"As far as I know there are ten different colours including yours. Orange is a soul of Bravery. Usually these people are courageous to the last breath, literally. Yellow represents Justice. Generally, these people have an affinity for revenge and carrying out the law. Green represents Kindness. These people are usually pacifists, they refuse to hurt anybody and that's what gets them killed down here, maybe calling them pacifists is overkill. Still, they make good friends.

"Deep blue is Integrity. These people only do what is morally right by themselves, even if it is murder, usually that serves them well down here. Light blue is Patience. These people can wait for everything, both good and bad, also by far the weakest soul type. Purple is Perseverance. These people always carry on. They don't give up, no matter what. Now the last one I know for sure, pink represents Love. I used to know someone with this soul colour, until they died."Flowey told Frisk slowly.

"The eighth one is a grey monster soul. Red is, heh, no idea really and the tenth one, well, no one talks about that since what it does to you is terrible. Even by the standards of what I've seen as an immortal flower, what the tenth soul does to the user is just, I think I'd get nightmares if I told you about it, much more yourself". Flowey explained, his voice turning sour when he mentioned the mysterious tenth soul trait.

"That was a lot of information, but I think I got all of it. I won't ask about that tenth type though". Frisk told Flowey. "Do you have any suspicions at all on my soul?". Frisk added as Flowey scratched his petals, looking slightly thankful that Frisk refused to mention the unknown tenth soul trait.

"No ideas but it might be Determination, like perseverance traits. I heard someone combine the words 'red soul' with determination one time. I think he was, umm, a skeleton, with a hoodie or jumper or something. Honestly, I thought you had a green soul at first". "Now about that board." Flowey told Frisk as she turned back to the board and took in its contents.

In the centre of the board, a yellow bar was present. The two letters HP next to it and another number on the right end of the bar, 20/20. Looking downward directly underneath the HP bar a number reading one was on the right of two letters, LV. On the left of the LV counter the number one was written on the right of the LV number was three letters, reading EXP and the number zero next to it. "Must be some kind of stat board, like a human video game or something. Oh well, it's here so I'll use it, Flowey knows what it is." Frisk said silently to herself, still holding her red soul in her hand. She had closed her fist around it and now her hand was emitting a bright red glow as though she was holding an extremely luminescent ball in her hand.

"Geez your soul is weak, I haven't seen one as weak as that in my life and i've had a pretty long life".Flowey said loudly, almost laughing but regaining himself quickly as Frisk looked at him for answers, giving him a questioning look mixed with one of offence.

"Alright. That board is basically our way of determining a monster or human's wellbeing. The HP stands for health points. Basically, a more refined way of making sure people are alive and well. LV stands for love. The lower the number, the more easily you make friends and the more appealing it is to others to get on your good side. Like some kind of positive aura. That won't help you down here though. Finally, EXP stands for experience points. The more events you live through the higher that number goes, generally the older you are the higher the number because, life's cruel game". Flowey told Frisk who was listening to every word with rapt attention.

"You said my soul is weak. Is that a bad thing? Well, obviously yes". Frisk asked. Flowey smiled widely and answered. "Of course. I can help you make your soul stronger. You'll need to be as strong as you can be for what you have to do to get out of this place,". Flowey told Frisk.

"I just wanted to ask. Do monster souls have a way to attain a colour at all? I know you said they're grey but if so can I see yours, seeing as how you've seen mine?" Frisk asked Flowey whose grin suddenly turned into more of a scowl and Frisk knew she had touched a nerve that the flower would much rather not be disturbed.

"I actually don't have a soul. I'm alive because I have the will to live — because I want to survive. Monster souls are grey, but the most powerful monster magically has a multicoloured soul, even if they take years to reach their full strength." Flowey grumbled, looking extremely irritable as Frisk knew she had touched a nerve with her question

"Sorry. It's my turn not to ask something". Frisk said, but she didn't look sad instead chosing to smile, Flowey didn't though, instead he looked as though souls was a sensitive topic for him. "He doesn't have a soul. I don't know how but I also don't know how long he's been here. It must be torture for him to have to talk about souls, when he doesn't have one right now". Frisk thought reasonably to herself. The position of Flowey's questioning existence still floating in her mind as his face regained its unassuming manner.

"Now we're even, moving in from souls though. Now I can help you get more powerful but only like this. It's not really hitting you with magic or anything, more like strengthening you but it will hurt. Although, when you get out there, assuming you do, you'll die unless you have a lot of power". Flowey warned Frisk as several, white, seed-like circles appeared around Flowey's petals and Frisk didn't back down. From everything Flowey had told her, minus his kill or be killed mentality which Frisk could work around he hadn't given her a reason not to trust her.

"Don't worry it won't hurt that much. Now just let me help you out. "Flowey said as the seed like objects moved towards Frisk's soul area which Frisk had returned her soul to before Flowey spoke, finding out how to by adjusting her sweater and finding her soul was missing. "Might as well, he's the only person I can trust down here," Frisk told herself reasonably as she stood patiently.

The moment Flowey's seeds made contact with Frisk an intense pain not dissimilar to gripping a boiling kettle erupted from her soul, eliciting an agonised yell. Stepping backwards from Flowey in shock. His face was no longer unassuming and kind or indeed recognisable as a normal face at all. It was sadistic looking and evil. His smile was wide and crazy. He had sharp, spike-like teeth and his eyes were glowing red as Frisk took a few more steps back, shocked that such an unassuming monster could suddenly look so insane.

"You really are an idiot Frisk!" Flowey said loudly, his voice sounding more like a high-pitched hiss. "Did you really think that I would help you?". Flowey looked insane and Frisk was backing away quickly, struck silent and rendered thoughtless by shock.

"I told you I was a monster and that monsters kill humans. If you ever suspected that this place exists, then you would know the war stories! I even told you I know you are a human and I even took the liberty to drop the soul hint as well!".Flowey hissed loudly, laughing as Frisk's naivety to trust a monster.

"Flowey, please! I thought you were nice! Why would you do this? I trusted you!". Frisk yelled and Flowey laughed maniacally, Frisk barely managing to stand on her feet. "Okay, run around him, just run around and keep going". Frisk told herself firmly, attempting to reassure herself.

"I told you we need another soul to break out of this damn prison! Why would anyone pass up an opportunity for such an easy to take soul! Especially from someone as weak, naïve and worthless as you! Now...". Flowey hissed again, this time a ring of the seeds surrounded Frisk and rose to form a circular cage as Frisk did her best to stay in the centre. She was shocked from Flowey's sudden betrayal, but the quick turn of events caused adrenaline to take control of the young girl who was desperately searching for a way under or over the seeds, staying silent as she did so.

"Die!" Flowey yelled maniacally as the seeds drew closer, growing sharp, spinning spikes that looked sharp enough to tear through her flesh. The seeds were closing in on her and Flowey started laughing. "No, no, no, no, no. Flowey, I trusted you!". Frisk yelled as Flowey replied in a dark hiss, watching as Frisk crouched down to avoid the seeds further. "That's why you don't trust a natural killer Frisk! I'm soulless! I feel nothing. I can do this all I want, and I don't give a single damn!" Flowey hissed, laughing maniacally. Until a bright orange, shimmering light from behind the insane flower was thrown at him and Frisk ducked even further down, holding her hands over her head.

Flowey predicted the blast and dodged out of the way, as though he knew it was coming. Throwing a last threatening smile at Frisk he sunk into the ground and the spiked seeds disappeared, Frisk slowly standing up, terror in her mind. "He's, he's gone". Frisk muttered to herself as her eyes widened at her saviour. A tall, furry monster dressed in a purple dress that fell to her ankles walked towards Frisk. Her fur was as white as snow and her face was genuinely kind with a welcoming smile on her face. She had deep blue eyes and had very long, droopy ears that fell along the sides of her head like a goat.

Frisk backed away quickly from her as well, visible fear on the young girl's face. She was still under the stereotype that this monster was evil, in fact, that she was so evil that she despised Flowey. "Please don't hurt me. I, I, I'm just scared, and alone, please. I've already suffered enough. Why do you think I fell in?" Frisk muttered audibly, flinching as she backed away but she quickly thought to herself. "Get a grip Frisk." She looked up at the monster and saw a caring, motherly expression upon her face, much unlike Flowey's sociopathic smile.

"Don't be worried, my child. I will not harm you. My name is Toriel. I am the caretaker of the Ruins. I pass through here every day to keep an eye on that flower creature and it seems I came at the right time. Don't be so worried. No one will harm you, I assure you."


	2. A Mother's Love, Woes and Wishes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flowey's betrayal left the already vulnerable Frisk scarred, terrified and more alone than ever. On the verge of death moments after her painful fall into a world, she can't recognise, perhaps she desired this state? Either way, the arrival of a new monster to take Flowey's place signals the beginning of an adventure beyond Frisk's imagination.

"Are you sure you won't hurt me?" Frisk asked quietly, slowly advancing towards Toriel. She still had some reservations about Toriel's truthfulness. As the young girl looked up at Toriel, she had to be about six foot three, an intimidating height for any child to face, but Frisk saw no misgivings in her blue eyes. Toriel enervated an aura similar to that of a caring mother, Frisk's green eyes meeting her soft blue ones before she smiled.

"That monster is just one of countless out there who will harm you without a second thought. He's nothing but a vile, nasty creature who enjoys murder. I don't know whether to condemn him or pity him most of the time, although his soulless nature leaves him devoid of emotion. How he can exist without a soul I'm unsure of," Toriel said harshly as she mentioned Flowey.

"I feel bad for him. He must be going through a lot but hurting people doesn't heal injuries. Never does, never will as far as I know." Frisk said she now felt safe around Toriel and able to offer her opinions and make conversation with the seemingly passive monster.

"Come with me. I will guide you through the Ruins to my home. Do not worry. They will not harm you while you are with me. Not that there's anyone here but a vile flower, a silly old lady who worries too much and what the monsters call puzzles." Toriel assured Frisk, extending her hand to Frisk as the young girl held the monster's hand without question. Alright, let's go. Frisk thought to herself silently.

Toriel seemed to stall for a moment as she obviously remembered something, but she soon turned around and walked with Frisk to the exit on the other side of the cavern. Frisk had to quicken up her pace to keep up with Toriel's long strides, searching for a conversation starter. "I can't talk about what she remembered, after the soul talk with Flowey I think whatever she remembered is her business, it'll be inconsiderate if I asked her". Frisk said thoughtfully to herself, suspending her curiosity for the sake of Toriel's comfort.

"What exactly did that monster do to you? I heard the yelling, and I remembered something disturbing from my past. I needed to make sure you were okay." Toriel asked kindly as she and Frisk walked down a long, purple tiled hallway, the darkness around them silent as Frisk silently wondered how a monster could ever live in such conditions and what had pushed Toriel to consign herself to such a lonely place.

"He said that he would teach me how the Underground works. He told me about the soul types and what they mean. He told me how to bring up this board thing and how to expose my soul. Then he said my soul was weak and that it could get stronger. Then that's when he hurt me. I tried to get him to stop though, I didn't hurt him though," Frisk told Toriel as they walked through a winding corridor. Toriel had relinquished Frisk's hand, and the two were now walking at the same pace.

"I see. He told you several truths and a few lies. He even took the liberty of teaching you a small bit about us and our way of life. I cannot deny that this is unusual for a monster like him. However, he is weak in combat alone, so I would expect him to be cunning and deceptive. Using people to gain the upper hand and preying on the innocent." Toriel told Frisk as they continued walking down the corridor, Frisk's thoughts on what Toriel had just described Flowey as.

"Now if you do not mind me asking. This is something I do for every human who falls down here. Actually, I lie since you are the first human to fall in twenty years and I never met the others. What colour is your soul?" Toriel asked but Frisk looked reluctant to give an answer. "After Flowey I think that might be a little sensitive Toriel". Frisk thought to herself as Toriel understood the child's thoughts instantly.

"I promise I am not like him. I will not harm you. You are safe with me Frisk". Toriel told Frisk, giving her an almost motherly smile as her deep blue eyes looked softly into Frisk's radiant green, a look that Frisk couldn't help but not trust - Toriel had just saved her life.

Frisk and Toriel stopped and Frisk held her hands silently to the area Flowey told her about. Frisk was normally talkative but the adrenaline rush from her fierce entry into this world had sapped her of speech for now. Slowly she brought her hands away from that area and her red soul came with it, floating on her hands as Toriel observed it.

"I haven't seen a soul like this before. I remember reading about red souls before but that was a while ago. I can't remember what your soul represents, but I remember that your soul grows more and more powerful as you age." Toriel told Frisk as the young girl, now smiling, returned her soul to its place. "That's good to know." Frisk replied.

"I do not know the combat capabilities of your soul. I do know that a soul cannot become more powerful artificially under passive reasons. The only way souls can gain artificial power is surgery or something I would rather not discuss. Most souls gain power as their hosts age, however. All of them except for possibly Perseverance and Integrity gain power as they age. Most of their capabilities peak at a rather young age. Around twelve years old". Toriel told Frisk as they entered a room full of spikes on the floor and Frisk couldn't hold back a bit of worry.

"Oh dear. I forgot about this. Take my hand and I will guide us through it. I pass through there every day, so we will be unharmed." Toriel told Frisk who took Toriel's hand wordlessly, feeling as though she could entrust herself to the motherly monster, a far cry from the previously maniacal clutches of Flowey. "Toriel knows what she's doing." Frisk reassured herself as she looked forwards, spotting the spikes ahead of her, dark steel setting them apart from the pink stone on which they walked.

The two of them walked seemingly onto spikes but they disappeared into the holes beneath them just before they impaled the pair's feet and soon enough the pair had reached the end of the hallway. Strangely enough, in the room they had just passed the brighter tiles on the floor were the blueprint to the spikes route.

"The Ruins have a few different puzzles like these so luckily I made a few shortcuts. The idea was from a friend of mine." Toriel said as she held the door open for Frisk. "I just noticed now, but the brighter tiles on the floor were the blueprint for the way through all the spikes". Frisk added as Toriel smiled down at her. "Well done. I took far longer to find that out myself. Maybe since I was on the other side of it but impressive nonetheless."

"Who is your friend? Is he nice? Must be if he's friends with you." Frisk asked as they walked through another long hallway, the dead silence eating away at Frisk's confidence as, strangely, she felt as though they were being followed, undoubtedly by Flowey.

"I certainly hope so. I haven't ever met him in person, but we tell jokes to each other through the door. His are always rather funny. In fact, I keep them recorded for later but there are many comedians out there". Toriel answered, smiling down at Frisk.

"Can I hear one of them? I've had to cheer myself up with jokes for a long time so I appreciate them". Frisk asked Toriel who smiled, and her blue eyes seemed to sparkle as Frisk felt a wave of happiness. Toriel must have been alone for a long time.

"Certainly. What did the builder say when he finished his project?" Toriel asked, grinning happily down at Frisk as they rounded a corner into a tunnel smashed into the wall instead of opening another door. "I don't know". Frisk said. She could feel a smile forming on her face before Toriel even answered.

"Nailed it." Toriel finished, laughing at her own joke with Frisk who was laughing alongside her. "A little old but it's still a good one. Old to humans I mean." Frisk said as Toriel said, while laughing. "I can understand that. Human society must be far more advanced than monster civilisation." Toriel said as she and Frisk kept laughing.

"Hey, Toriel. Are there any other monsters in the Ruins? Aside from Flowey. I was just wondering." Frisk asked Toriel as they continued through the tunnel and Toriel sighed as Frisk felt slightly guilty about bringing up this subject. "No, I understand, don't feel guilty. It's just me in the Ruins. Although I had my reasons for my isolation from monsterkind." Toriel said, her voice taking a harsh turn as Frisk chose not to pursue the subject as they came out of the tunnel. 

"My home is a few rooms ahead. I divide most of the Ruins into rooms. Are you hungry? I was making a butterscotch pie, but I didn't expect to have company and I fear I may not have made enough." Toriel told Frisk, but she didn't look like Frisk's sudden arrival was a problem.

"Sorry if I caused trouble. I didn't mean it. Teaches me to trust everyone I see," Frisk mumbled, looking up at Toriel as she opened another door and rounded another left corner. Toriel looked down at her kindly and answered reassuringly.

"It was nothing. I haven't heard your name yet, now I think about it," Toriel told Frisk kindly. "I'm Frisk. I don't know why my parents named me that. Maybe because people at school would target me for it. Although it has a bit of a ring to it for me." Frisk said, attempting to cover up her unique name with sadness and her opinion. Frisk was still unsure why her parents had called her that name, not that she cared very much at this rate anyway, even for Frisk, she didn't have much love to spare for them, and that thought registered on Toriel's face, who gave Frisk a concerned glance downwards, noticing Frisk had gone deathly silent as they walked, until Toriel broke the silence, a feeling of worry for the new human washing over her.

"It's a unique name Frisk, and that, to me is what makes it beautiful. I can't see why humans would dislike it. You also seem to have been through a lot based on what I have heard." Toriel said kindly to Frisk who looked upwards at her, she couldn't deny her own dialogue was stiff. If she saw right through me i wouldn't be shocked... That wasn't my most valiant attempt at a cover-up. Toriel had given no reason for Frisk to suffer misgivings about her so, despite her obviously awkward speech, she ignored that. Frisk trusted the kind-hearted monster, she, unlike Flowey, hadn't given her a reason to suspect misgivings.

"Flowey told me that there are monsters that will try to harm me. Try to kill me. He said that my soul is the last one you need to escape here. Just, knowing I'm keeping people like you trapped down here. It feels horrible." Frisk told Toriel who halted, her figure tense as Frisk's mind also skidded to a halt, Toriel engaging the child in a snappish speech before Frisk could even comprehend talking herself.

"Yes. There are monsters that will harm you, if you let them. Flowey is one, amongst many others. Yes, your soul is the seventh soul that monsterkind needs to escape but I will not allow them to harm you and I believe they can wait for a nasty human to fall for their transgressions. There is one monster you must always beware of, though. One who will stop at nothing to take your soul, and someone I once knew personally." Toriel told Frisk sternly as they started to walk again. She wasn't smiling;Instead, her expression resembled a mix of disgust, dislike, and defiance.

"Who is it?" Frisk asked, curious as to the identity of this dangerous monster who, according to Toriel, was even more dangerous than Flowey. Toriel's face seemed more of a scowl when she answered the curious girl and Frisk couldn't deny a sense of foreboding of who this monster could be.

"His name is Asgore. He is the king of monsters and a murderer. He has killed three children from what I know and taken their souls. He even killed his own son and daughter. Whether it is by accident or on purpose, I don't know but I really have little of a thought to spare for him. If he finds you, he will kill you without a doubt." Toriel said harshly as Frisk's eyes widened and she coughed quickly in disgust.

"Wait. He killed his own children?" Frisk asked loudly shocked that someone could do something like that, yet the shout she intended her voice to rise to was near impossible to summon, the intensity refusing to rise through her throat. "Why? I thought my parents were bad, they're nothing compared to Asgore then". Frisk added, showing obvious and relatable disgust at Asgore's brutal, murderous actions.

"I don't know. It must have been an accident because he loved those two and so did I. They were everything to me. The first and second lights monsters had for the future in hundreds of years. Both of them dimmed by their own father, one gone forever, and the other trapped behind a curtain of darkness." Toriel whispered, a tear forming in her eye as she swept it away.

"What were their names?" Frisk asked but Toriel didn't respond and Frisk continued quickly. "I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions, it's inconsiderate of me." Frisk's added, looking downwards as they walked down another hallway.

"It is natural to be curious... My son's name was Asriel. He was such a sweet child. Smart, caring, self-controlled, and he was one of the most loyal people I had ever known. Everyone loved him, including his sister. That's a very long story that-that I just don't feel up to telling right now... Until he suddenly disappeared, and no one saw him again. I last saw Asgore with his dust, his soul nowhere to be found. He's been dead for twenty years now," Toriel muttered. Almost as though she was mourning for him, her voice stuttering after mentioning Asriel's sister. Frisk remained silent, watching the mourning monster while holding back tears, imagining what it must have been like to witness such events.

"The other child was a human, my daughter, Asriel's sister. Her name was Chara. The only one to be taken in by monsters and the first human to fall. She came to us with Asriel one day and we took her in. She was like you in the way she had the look of a child who has seen, done and decided things no child should ever have to, and the things she did for Asriel were remarkable. Her friends fell down here a year later, and they all died. What happened to Chara afterwards was horrific. Most monsters prefer to believe that the fate that befell Chara was befitting thanks to her status as a human. No, that's another lie. They believe that she will be contained forever, trapped inside her own prison of pain and loss. Something she never deserved, something no-one should ever deserve, but most of monsterkind seem too willing to condemn her to..." Toriel mumbled, mourning the loss of these two children as she couldn't hold back a few tears that welled in her eyes, bringing her hand up to her eyes to wipe them clean of tears. "They're gone Tori... They're gone... it's no use mourning..." Toriel told herself, Frisk remaining silent in shock.

Frisk was silent for a few moments as she processed Asriel's name and Toriel's actions, attempting the best she could to keep the thought of Chara's death away from her mind, to no avail. Her mind was still deciphering the cryptic details of Chara's fate which, no matter whatever way Frisk looked at it. The fate that waited for a child like Chara was obviously horrific. However, Frisk's mind was on the children's names, and the fact Toriel was upset. Then with a surprised intake of breath, she told Toriel, distracting both herself and Toriel from Chara's nightmarish fate, even though Frisk knew she too should mourn the fallen children, despite her lack of any relation to them. Frisk still reached her arm up as high as she could make it go, merely reaching past Toriel's elbow a little, but it was enough for Toriel to notice Frisk, looking down at the child as Frisk noticed Toriel's wet, deep blue eyes and she said.

"It's, it's okay Toriel. We'll just talk about it later or not at all. It's all up to you." Frisk reassured Toriel, feeling tears well in her own eyes as she clutched Toriel's hand again and Toriel smiled down at her. "Thank you, Frisk, but you look like you have something else on your mind too," Toriel told Frisk, bringing to attention the fact that Frisk couldn't quite look her in the eye, the thoughts of Asriel's name, along with Toriel's and Asgore's was too curious for her to ignore, too coincidental.

"Asriel sounds like it has a part of your name in it. You also said that Asgore was found with Asriel's dust and that you knew him personally. Wait..." Frisk said. Her voice trailing away as she realised who Asriel's father must be and Toriel nodded gravely, almost all hints of her previous sadness obliterated by a sudden tension. "You are very observant Frisk, and smart. It was going to come out eventually, I was also dropping hints so yes. Asgore was my husband. Until he killed those humans. Then I really knew what kind of monster he was. Also, to an extent, what kind of king he was. A child slayer, despite his attempts to deny it". Toriel said, her voice started out mournful but suddenly turned bitter as she mentioned Asgore and Frisk felt a wave of guilt sweep over her from bringing up so many disturbing memories in the motherly monster.

"I'm sorry. I should have kept that to myself. I just let my curiosity get the better of me a lot of time. Sometimes I do things I regret as well" Frisk apologised but Toriel waved it away, almost dismissively, but Frisk knew it was in a forgiving manner, Frisk quickly felt her worries ease with the forgiving nature Toriel presented.

"You need not apologise Frisk. Besides, we are at my home already." Toriel said as Frisk saw a large, open doorway leading to the comfortable interior of Toriel's home. The warm smell of a fresh butterscotch pie travelling through the air as Frisk felt her worried and the dark nature of Toriel's past dissipate as quickly as they had come, taking in the hot smell of freshly baked pie as Frisk couldn't help but sense that her extended stay in the Underground, despite Flowey's presence, might not be as bad as she had expected.


	3. A Momentary Paradise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chara...  
> Asriel...  
> Toriel...  
> Asgore...
> 
> The fates of two shining lights now burned to Frisk's memory, she places her faith in Toriel, the exiled queen of the Underground. With so many questions and receiving so few answers, Frisk must make her peace in this new, dangerous world, or risk incurring a side of Toriel she fears exists and doesn't desire to provoke. Nevertheless, how truthful was she wi Chara and Asriel's fate? Her ambiguity gave Frisk food for thought... thoughts to come another time.
> 
> She had to decide what to do now Toriel had taken her to the ground the former knew best

Frisk and Toriel entered the warm home, the smell of freshly baked butterscotch pie wafting towards the pair from a small hallway to Frisk's left, Frisk breathing in the smell of pastry and sweet butterscotch, it had always been one of her favourites, but she couldn't help but notice Toriel's house. The central part of Toriel's home was a square, central room that had golden flowers on the many desks and tables. Several photos of other unknown monsters hung on the surrounding walls. The succulent smell of the pie wafting its way towards the two from the left, which showed a short hallway leading to a living room and another room that could only be the kitchen. Looking to her right Frisk saw another hallway, this one lined with three doors on the left and a mirror at the end of the hall. The door closest to the mirror seemed brand new. The room in the middle was like a foyer, with the two hallways leading off either side and a set of stairs taking up a quarter of the floor on the upper half of the home, leading downwards.

"I know it's kind of small, but I feel like we can have a good life here together Frisk. Asgore would never find you here. He hasn't found me yet at any rate." Toriel said to Frisk, giving her another motherly smile that Frisk returned sweetly as she followed Toriel into the living room, taking in the comfortable looking living room.

"I'll get the pie. I like to make more than I need, so I have leftovers for tomorrow. It always helps to have more than you need stored away, especially when living alone," Toriel mentioned, smiling to Frisk as she walked into the kitchen and cut two pieces of a large pie on the kitchen table, bringing it back to the dining table and setting the two plates down. Although, when Toriel looked at Frisk for a second, she noticed the girl was wearing a slightly down face. "Oh, are you okay Frisk? You look upset." Toriel said as Frisk suddenly rearranged her expression. "I'm fine, sorry if I caused trouble. I just know how you feel. I've had to live alone for a while, my life on the Surface could've been better." Frisk said in a slightly down tone.

"Well, I can assure you that we will have a much better life here. It's been so long since I've had company, so I might be a small bit slack in the conversation department." Toriel said as Frisk replied supportively. "It's okay. Don't put yourself down Toriel. I'm sure you're great at making conversation. Besides, I think one thing you might like about me is that I refuse to hurt people. I just, I have my reasons but that's why I didn't fight back against Flowey. Because I didn't want to hurt him." Frisk said, the sad tone in her voice returning as Toriel knelt down and hugged her gently, calming Frisk immensely from the bad memories.

"I was correct in assuming you have been through trauma. No child adopts pacifism lightly and I have enough tact to not pursue the topic. For now, let's forget the past. Start anew and have some fun Frisk. You certainly seem to need it lately." Toriel said, sitting down at the table with Frisk as the two smiled.

"Thanks. I go on tangents a lot in conversations. I just try to be kind and forgiving a lot of the time. It usually works out as well". Frisk said as she started to eat. The pie Toriel had baked was in fact one of the best meals Frisk had ever had in her life; she definitely had it rough on the Surface. Toriel smiled back and answered. "You're welcome. I always prefer the merciful option to a situation. I'm no pacifist myself however I'm proud of you for taking on such a responsibility," before starting to eat her slice, Frisk answering. "Thanks, Toriel, it's been a long time since I started to be a pacifist, anyway. I'm used to having it in my morals."

Soon enough, the two had eaten the two slices, moved on from Frisk's pacifism and forgiving nature, they were now telling each other stories. Happy stories about their experiences. As it turns out Toriel had a rather privileged upbringing, but she stopped quickly once she noticed this topic although Frisk drew no discomfort from it. In fact, she was happy for Toriel. Frisk was listening with attention to the monster's stories and eventually Frisk told Toriel about the Surface, somewhat, not the bad aspects she seemed to have experienced, just good parts.

"At the base of this mountain, on the surface. There is a city I live in just over a hundred kilometres away. It's really big and I sometimes get lost in it but eventually I always find my way around. There aren't too many trees in the city but in the centre, there is a beautiful park filled with trees and there is a nice lake in the middle. I usually go there if I need to get away from everything." Frisk told Toriel who was listening to every word, noticing this Frisk smiled.

"The surface sounds pleasant. I hope we get there one day. Although I feel like kindness and, as you said, pacifism may be the way to get there. Not senseless slaughter." Toriel said softly but Frisk had something to say about this too.

"There are a lot of mean people on the surface though. People who treat other races like a second class. I just don't understand how those people can live with themselves. To me, they deserve to be in jail because a few of them are really crazy people. I knew a few. I really hope that monsters get to the surface, eventually. As long as a lot of them are like you. I reckon you could help a lot of people find their inner kindness." Frisk told Toriel, her voice growing more kind and less depressed as she spoke.

"Thank you, Frisk. Oh, it's late. I think you should get some sleep. It's undoubtedly been a massive day for you and I think an early night will do you a world of good." Toriel said, her voice raised slightly with surprise. It was half-past nine at night, or day? It was difficult to tell the time in the Underground.

"Alright. Good night Toriel". Frisk said as she got up from the table and Toriel led Frisk to the new door next to the mirror, opening the door the two of them walked inside. The room had creme-coloured walls and a large single bed next to the right wall. A dresser with a mirror on top of it stood next to the left wall and the lights and fan were on.

"Good night Frisk. Sweet dreams." Toriel said to Frisk, closing the door behind her as Frisk looked around the room. The room was well suited to her taste. She preferred having exactly what she needed out in the open and this room provided that perfectly. Frisk walked over to the mirror, happiness radiating through her mind as she examined her reflection. Her dishevelled brown hair hung in a curled mess around her head, reaching her shoulders, and her complex possessed the look of a kind, understanding, empathetic child punished for her disposition. Her green eyes were possibly one of her most prominent details, the way they seemed to glow in the dark and provide a soothing feeling was very calming to Frisk as she punched the air above her in happiness.

"I don't get how being so selfish could have gotten me this. It isn't fair that this happened to me because of that but if it led me to people like Toriel. I'll definitely take it. As long as I play my cards right and stick to my morals, I'll be okay. I could get used to this." Frisk said, the adrenaline ebbing away from her encounter with Flowey but, for the first time in her life, she felt completely comfortable and safe.

Frisk felt tired from the loss of adrenaline and depressing events of the day prior to meeting Toriel so she silently walked away from the mirror. Turned the light out, pulled the blankets over her and slipped easily into sleep, contemplating the sudden scary reality of what her life had become. Trapped in a monster's world with no way out with her life, in the same area as a maniacal, soulless flower who wanted her dead, although the comfort of Toriel soothed the exhausted young girl as she quickly slipped into a peaceful sleep.

Frisk woke up the next day feeling refreshed and energised, the sudden realisation of the danger she was in non-existent. She was still wearing her pink and blue striped sweater from earlier yesterday, but the Ruins were relatively cold with the lack of sunlight, eliciting a shiver from the young girl. She was still wearing her jeans, a rather strange look, but she had taken her shoes and socks off before going to sleep last night, she normally slept like this anyway, so her bizarre appearance didn't concern her.

"All right. Day two, I thought I was dead when I fell in but the thing is. Life is a funny thing; It does things you never expect it to do. Just stay calm, if Asgore hasn't found Toriel in however long how would he find her now? Also, Asgore would have to look a small bit like Toriel. Or not, I don't know". Frisk said, giving herself a small pep talk in front of her reflection, staring into her own green eyes as she silently reassured herself.

Frisk walked calmly out into the living room and saw Toriel was already awake and reading a book in a large, leather chair, reading glasses over her eyes and several stacks of paper on the table next to her. She had bags under her eyes and looked exhausted, like she had gotten no sleep at all.

"Good morning Frisk". Toriel said when she saw Frisk sit down at the table. "How did you sleep?" Toriel added, noticing Frisk's instinctive smile. The smell of butterscotch pie was still in the air, however nowhere near as abundant as the previous night. regardless, It was enough to remind Frisk of her lucky discovery by Toriel, if she had been only a few seconds later, Flowey would have attained her soul. The familiar scent enticed her senses, fogging her mind for the slightest moment, a warmth spreading throughout her entire body, for a moment, making the unpleasant thought of existence alongside Flowey disappear from her mind.

"Really well. That bed is comfortable. Thanks a lot Toriel." Frisk replied happily, although she had some rather unhappy thoughts circulating in her mind which she pushed aside for a moment, the butterscotch pie's faint scent worked for only a moment, dulling her mind for a moment at most. "Did you sleep well? You look exhausted." Frisk asked Toriel as she sighed.

"I got enough rest thank you Frisk but, I spent a good amount of the night making a curriculum for your education, seeing as how it's dangerous out there I thought it would be best if you studied in the Ruins. I've always wanted to be a teacher." Toriel explained an excited tone in her voice as she told Frisk of her ambition.

"I'm sure you'd make a great teacher Toriel. You're really smart and kind, people always love kind teachers, and kind people in general." Frisk said supportively as Toriel smiled at her and the unfriendly thoughts Frisk was thinking of before returned to her, turning her happy expression into a frown. The thoughts of being trapped in the Ruins forever were actually rather terrifying to the outgoing and naturally inquisitive child.

Frisk both wanted to and didn't want to leave the Ruins and Toriel's safety. Frisk wanted to leave the Ruins and try to get back through the Barrier and back home to the Surface. Honestly, the thought of spending her entire life living in the Underground was scary to Frisk. Eventually she would become bored with the Ruins and wish to move on to something else, eventually she would want to know what the rest of monsterkind was like and to see what outcome she could achieve from leaving. Frisk was just inquisitive this way; she had a strange urge most of the time to see how things played out she frequently ignored.

"Frisk are you all right? You seem distant, as though you have something troubling on your mind". Toriel asked as Frisk remained silent but with a snap back to reality Frisk answered, barely managing to cling to a conversation.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just blacked out for a bit there. I do that sometimes." Frisk told Toriel, smiling at her as though to assure the monster she was all right Toriel smiled back to show she understood the look. "Understandable since you seem to have been through a lot and triumphed". Toriel said kindly, this only made Frisk feel even worse about that she would soon ask.

"Um Toriel. Can I ask you something?" Frisk asked, looking into Toriel's blue eyes but finding it was too painful for her and she looked away for a split second, feeling guilty. "I have to do this, it's the only way to get back to the Surface." Frisk told herself firmly.

"Of course, Frisk." Toriel said, looking back into her eyes. For Frisk the atmosphere was tense and for Toriel it was calm and normal, tension showing on Frisk's face but Toriel hadn't picked up on it yet, much to Frisk's surprise that Toriel hadn't already predicted her question.

"How do you leave the Ruins? You said that you have a friend past the Ruins so maybe if I find him I'll be alright." Frisk asked, throwing the last sentence on as justification for her question. Toriel's face changed to a mingled look of surprise and, slight sadness. Frisk noticed this immediately and a wave of guilt crashed over her. Toriel was one of the kindest people she had ever met; she was lonely. Frisk had just asked how she could leave her for whatever monsterkind was like.

"This is your home Frisk. I already told you that if you leave here, then Asgore will find you and kill you, and that's if you get that far. Asgore has many dangerous and powerful monsters working for him not to mention our kind's dislike of humans. Asgore lives at the end of the Underground but your path there is barred by many, many defences". Toriel told Frisk, her voice growing more serious and bitter as she spoke, much less like a mother and more of an instructor.

"I can't stay down here forever. I'll have to head home, eventually." Frisk told Toriel softly and reasonably but Toriel answered with a sombre tone. "I know, but we can have a good life here. I know I don't have much but we can make this work out for as long as possible. I just don't want another child to die, especially a child like you". Toriel answered, staring at Frisk as the child found herself unable to return the look.

"I just want to know how you leave." Frisk said but Toriel suddenly got up from her chair, looking slightly angry but also mournful and determined as she said sharply to Frisk, not a trace of comfort in her voice.

"I have to do something quickly. I'll be back soon." Toriel blurted out, stress overtaking her tone before she hurried down the short hallway, silently followed by Frisk. "I have to do this. I can't stay here forever." Frisk said reasonably to herself. The young girl saw Toriel walk down the set of stairs into the dark corridor below and Frisk silently followed her, stepping slowly so as to not alert the aggravated Toriel.

Frisk stalled for a moment, thinking her decision over. Toriel was right. If she left she was risking her life and if everything she said about Asgore is true, then she has to make sure he didn't find her. Although Frisk knew she was also right, she couldn't stay here forever. Knowing this, Frisk decided to push forward and keep going on her goal.


	4. Through Her Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her decision is final: Frisk cannot hope to remain in Toriel's home and risk Asgore finding them both. While Toriel is unwilling to let the young child leave her care, Frisk's morality demands she stays, but her heart commands her to leave and venture into this dangerous world in hopes of finding Toriel's friend, and returning home.
> 
> With her unknown history, relation to the child-killing Asgore, and grief of losing her own children, Frisk's and Toriel's opposite desires will clash.

Silently, Frisk followed Toriel down the dark steps into another long, purple tiled hallway. Toriel already made her escape around a sharp left turn ahead of her, giving Frisk a sense of dread. "Here goes nothing." Frisk told herself as she rounded a corner and saw Toriel standing in front of a large set of purple double doors, adorned with a strange symbol in the centre, appearing to depict two angels winds connected by a triangle, before a rectangle comprised from three triangles depicted below it. Toriel's tension was unimaginable, her spine and shoulders were rigid as if someone had frozen her, her right hand was glowing brightly, simmering and spitting like fire. Her head was bowed, holding one hand to the side. Wait... what? I knew monsters could use magic, but I never thought it was actually real! Frisk thought to herself, recognising with a shiver of terror, the object Toriel was holding.

A ball of flame roughly the size of her palm danced in her grip. Toriel's intention was clear, to destroy the exit to the Underground so neither she nor Frisk could escape. I need to reconsider. This isn't a good idea! Frisk, stubborn to the end, almost literally; even she had enough sense to know when she had left a confrontation. She couldn't afford for the momentarily motherly monster to find her. If Toriel discovered her, what would she do then? She would know that Frisk truly wanted to leave, that Frisk was ready to leave this old monster for her own ends.

Frisk didn't keep her footsteps silent and Toriel raised her head, turning around to see Frisk standing behind her as the young girl's eyes widened and the fireball in Toriel's hand dissipated as Toriel's and Frisk's eyes met. Bright blue clashing against radiant green while Frisk considered her options. She could run, she could tell Toriel she was joking, yet neither option seemed particularly entertaining to the young girl. I could always tell her it was a joke, but that would be cruel if I asked her properly later. It's best if I tell the truth. Frisk thought to herself, a familiar sinking sensation arising within her heart while she broke eye contact with Toriel, instead choosing to gaze at the strange rune present on the door behind them.

With a sigh, Toriel spoke, her once joyous tone now nothing more than a monotone grumble, silencing Frisk's mind and tightening heart with shame and shock. "This is the exit of the Ruins. I will seal it forever. To make sure that no more children die. Even if it means sealing myself in here forever. My sacrifice will save any human to fall after yourself." Toriel explained sharply. Her voice wasn't motherly and soft anymore but filled with grim determination and a serious tone. "Toriel please, I just, thanks for taking care of me but I need to go. I need to see if I can get back home." Frisk explained reasonably, keeping a pleading tone out of her voice with success as Toriel continued in her firm tone, continuing her monologue.

"You are exactly like the other children. Someone told me they fell into here and wished to leave immediately, but they all died. Not one of them survived. Even both of my children died trying to get these humans past the Barrier. What makes you believe you are any different Frisk? You heard my pain, Chara and Asriel' suffering, and you leave me here thinking you will be any different?" Toriel demanded, not harshly but with conviction in her voice that turned to sadness as she mentioned her children, Frisk quickly answering to bite down her own guilt.

"I know, but I won't get myself killed. I can promise you that." Frisk attempted to assure Toriel, but the monster didn't believe her, staring down at the child, her blue eyes seemingly piercing through her skull as Toriel replied, Frisk remaining silent to hear what Toriel had to say.

"Frisk. If you leave the Ruins, then Asgore will find you and kill you. It's not just Asgore you have to worry about either. There are also the sentries and entire Royal Guard looking constantly for humans. They will hunt you out there and even my friend couldn't save you. You will die out there and there is nothing I could do to stop it." Toriel told Frisk firmly as Frisk thought to herself. She, she doesn't believe in me? She doesn't think I can survive? I'll meet her friend and we'll work together, assuming her recognises me of course. Frisk thought to herself as she told Toriel, refusing to back down, even in the face of death, this was no stranger to Frisk, her nature made that fact quite clear

"I have to leave though. I have to try." Frisk told Toriel who sighed aggressively and turned around, the tension present around Toriel and Frisk multiplying tenfold suddenly, a sense of dread crashing over her as Frisk turned away quickly to escape Toriel. She saw her path barred by a wall of fire. "Very well then. If you wish to leave, then prove to me that you are strong enough to survive. Fight me to prove your strength. I know you are a pacifist, but you cannot hope to survive out there with nonviolence alone." Toriel told Frisk as a ball of fire appeared in the monster's right hand.

"Wait. I don't want to fight you!" Frisk said loudly as she dodged a fireball thrown by Toriel. The fight had already begun, and she had no say whatsoever. Toriel and Frisk were not fighting to harm one another, just to unnecessarily vehemently debate two contrasting opinions.

"This is the only way to show me you can survive! Now strike back! Before you burn alive!" Toriel commanded, her shrill tone ripping through the air as she threw several fireballs at Frisk, dodging them almost expertly, Toriel looked slightly impressed as Frisk stared back at the monster. this fight was unlike any other Frisk had experienced, it was almost turn-based, Toriel was waiting for Frisk to prepare before her next strike.

"I won't fight you! I refuse to fight! You said that pacifism can get you a long way and I think you're right!" Frisk said loudly in response as she dodged more fireballs. Toriel aggression was visible heightening, a scowl disgracing her expression again, eliciting a shiver of terror from Frisk, ironic given her current situation.

"If you won't fight, then run away!" Toriel yelled in response, throwing roughly ten fireballs at Frisk. The young girl dodged nine of them but the final one hit her arm, causing a large burn hole in the sleeve of her sweater and a burn on her skin, scalding the flesh beneath it. "Ow! How didn't that burn the entire sweater?" Frisk thought to herself as she dodged more fireballs. "I am growing impatient Frisk! If you wish to leave, then leave this battle." Frisk didn't need to concern herself with Toriel's flames, her pain tolerance was too well trained to register a mild burn, allowing her mind clarity, accentuating her focus.

"Prove to me you can survive out there if you wish to pass me! Attack!" Toriel commanded, almost yelling as she made a large sweeping motion with her hand and Frisk jumped over a line of flame aimed at her ankles. Toriel was entirely stationary, waiting for Frisk to strike. "I'm not going to hurt someone as kind as you Toriel! I know a way to end this passively!". Frisk replied in a similar tone to Toriel as she dodged left and right, backing up against the wall.

"You have no options here, Frisk. Go back now and go upstairs, or throw your first strike! Do not try to stop me!" Toriel shouted, thrusting a fireball at Frisk at a speed resembling terminal velocity, she quickly ducked under the crackling flame and shot past Toriel, running towards the door but fire rapidly blocked her path. Frisk attempted to stop but couldn't and she suffered another painful burn along her leg this time, giving a yell of pain as she turned back to face Toriel.

"I mean it Toriel. Let's not fight. We don't have to settle this violently!" Frisk told Toriel loudly as she ran around the tall monster so that Toriel's back was to the Ruins exit, dodging more fireballs by ducking under another wave of them Toriel yelled. "Strike back Frisk! Forget your pacifism for the moment and attack. This is your final warning. Attack me or go back upstairs!". Toriel yelled as the fight became more chaotic. Frisk was dodging around like a madman and Toriel had a burning look in her blue eyes.

"I have to see what happens Toriel. I'm not giving up my morals now so I'm not fighting you but I'm not going upstairs either!!". Frisk yelled back at Toriel as the fire in her hands dissipated for a split second as she realised the point to which she had pushed Frisk. "Frisk. If you refuse to fight back. To strike, but you also refuse to turn back, and do as I say. You will wear the punishment." Toriel told Frisk harshly, her tone devolving into a hiss as she clicked her fingers and no fewer than twenty fireballs appeared behind Toriel as Frisk's eyes widened out of terror. "That's a lot of fire! Toriel you've gone crazy!" Frisk thought to herself quickly, giving Toriel a pleading look as she said.

"Toriel. I know this is a bad idea, but I'm not going to hurt you. Is this what Asriel and Chara would have wanted you to do if they were still alive?" Frisk said in a convicting tone, playing the guilt card against Toriel, despite her opinion and better judgement. Despite her disapproval, this tactic was effective, once the monster' eyes suddenly softened and tears welled in them. "Frisk. When I look at you, I see Chara. A hint of her in your eyes. Not literally but you have the same hope, the same love, the same strength of a child who has suffered but taken that in their stride. You seem to spread the same happiness, I feel you fell for similar reasons. However, your similarities to Chara in this situation are irrelevant. "I am sorry Frisk. You refused to strike back, you refused to turn back. Now I see your dodging ability is exceptional. Survive this." Toriel mumbled, her tone drowning in regret as she threw her arm forward.

All twenty fireballs sped at Frisk quickly, but they opened up to form gaps between them that Frisk could fit through as Frisk herself smiled, glimpsing these holes. Frisk silently leapt between the fire although the final ball of fire sped towards Frisk so quickly she could barely comprehend it. Before Frisk could even do anything, the fireball had smashed into Frisk's chest and she stumbled back a few paces, falling onto the cold tiles she stood upon as Toriel stood like a tower, Frisk feeling an almost searing heat on her chest as she wiped a pain-induced tear from her eyes and stood up. "I can't cry right now, get a grip on yourself Frisk". Frisk told herself as she faced Toriel again.

"Toriel you could have killed me!". Frisk said, noticing the searing burn on her chest although she wiped the instinctive tears away rapidly. Frisk didn't show much sign of pain, she was too used to pain to really show it but nonetheless the burn stung her skin like a million needles being pressed against her skin after touching a hotplate. Toriel stopped once she caught sight of Frisk, an expression of guilt overcoming her previous expression. Nevertheless, Frisk ignored the still searing burn and faced Toriel.

"I'm sorry Frisk but if you do not learn to fight, you will die out there. I never intended to harm you." Toriel apologised, speaking softly as she threw only three fireballs at the child now. Frisk dodged all of them despite the burn on her arm, leg and chest still stinging.

"We both don't want to hurt each other, so why are we fighting?" Frisk asked, she had been pleading with Toriel for a while now and Toriel's posture loosened, from hearing Frisk's desperation. She had pushed Frisk to the point where they had both engaged in a shouting match. The fire disappeared from her hands and her face showed a forced half smile as she looked down at the harmed, burnt Frisk she had said would be unharmed despite her provocation. She couldn't even keep a promise to a girl she'd known for mere hours...

"Yes. I do not want to harm you Frisk. I am sorry about the burns. I cannot assure your safety in the Underground. Now I think about it I was ignorant to believe I could really keep you trapped here. It would be cruel of me to force my ideals and expectations on you. To force my cowardice and exile on your shoulders would be a burden I fear you cannot bear at your age. Frisk you must reach the Barrier undetected. If someone finds you, you will be hunted and killed. I have a friend on the other side of this door. I have already told him about you so he will not harm you. He will notice you immediately although several more intelligent monsters also will." Toriel assured Frisk as she kneeled down to the young girl's height and Toriel smiled at Frisk as she instantly returned the smile. The fight was over and Frisk had kept to her morals.

"I'll be all right. Don't worry. I won't let Asgore kill me. Or anyone else. The burns will heal eventually." Frisk reassured Toriel, who smiled and hugged the young girl for a final time. Frisk could almost sense the tears in Toriel's eyes as she returned her hug tightly, holding back tears from Frisk's actions. "Do not return here. I hope you understand." Toriel as she stood up and ambled back towards the hallway, turning back to see Frisk still standing there.

"Stay safe Frisk". Toriel told Frisk as she walked back to the hallway, Frisk turning back to face Toriel she saw her meandering back down the corridor, defeated. Frisk didn't know what to do. She had gotten past Toriel quickly and was so close to the exit of the Ruins, but she didn't know what she really wanted. After hearing what Toriel had told her about the rest of the Underground, she was unsure about what future awaited her, despite her own curiosity sparking the impromptu battle in the first place.

Eventually, Frisk looked back to see Toriel had long since gone and, turning back to the heavy double doors, feeling a strange sense of determination, pushed it open. "Let's see what's behind these doors. I'll find Toriel's friend and we'll work together to get me past the Barrier, and I won't have to hurt anyone." Frisk told herself as she slowly pushed open the heavy double doors.

There was another cavern identical to the one she had fallen down in and another bed of flowers in the centre. A much more grand set of doors on the other end of the room. Frisk knew Flowey would appear amongst the golden flowers and walked bravely to the flower bed without uttering a word, keeping her strength for what she predicted was Flowey's inevitable arrival.

As expected, Flowey suddenly appeared in the centre of the flower bed, but his face wasn't kind and unassuming. It wasn't his sadistic smile from earlier either, much to Frisk's surprise. His eyes were like slits and his smile was wide and looked like a Halloween pumpkin smile. Frisk wasn't afraid and stared defiantly back at Flowey. The maniacal flower began to speak immediately, after her battle with Toriel, Frisk's energy was absolutely drained, she barely had the will to even feign fear.

"Decided the old fool was a little too boring for you? I can't blame you. I got bored with her a long time ago. Do you think you can break the rules? Remember this. This world is kill or be killed. You thought you can deny that truth? You spared her life even when she begged you to attack. You nearly got yourself killed for your worthless morals. I guess that just makes my job easier knowing that." 

"Although what would you do if you meet a relentless killer? You'll die. Again and again, and again. Held back by your morals, but not if you kill him first!" Flowey hissed, his voice heightening as he spoke, eventually descending into a maniacal laugh. Frisk showed no fear, only offering an annoyed eye roll and disinterested response. After her battle with Toriel and the scalding burns across her body she was focussing on ignoring, she had little patience to spare for Flowey.

"Look Flowey. I can help you. This world doesn't have to be like that and I don't know why you think this way. I can help you get your soul back. Nothing can exist without a soul. Toriel told me that, and I figured a bit of it out myself." Frisk told Flowey, but he just burst out laughing, even against her annoyed, monotonous voice. She was already through with Flowey's stubbornness.

"What? You? Help me? Please, you can't even help yourself. I don't feel emotion. Nothing you can do will ever help me." 

"Once you get bored with this world and this pacifist approach, what will you do? Will you kill? put a little spin on the old ways? Will you live by my ideals? Just don't worry yourself over it. I have a little plan for this world and, rest assured. It's not genocide or even regicide. Using you to get what I want is much more interesting!" Flowey hissed, suddenly yelling at the end of his speech as Frisk ran towards the exit doors, deciding to escape rather than risk Flowey attacking her again. Flowey laughing like a maniac behind her.

"See you soon Frisk!" Flowey yelled back to her as Frisk burst through the doors into the uncertain future. Ready to face the entire Underground.


	5. Welcome to the Underground

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scalded, conflicted and terrified, Frisk finally escapes the Ruins into whatever lies beyond Toriel's protection. Alone in a world that wants her head, and with Flowey hot on her heels, it would take a miracle to survive now

Stumbling on the heavy snow outside Frisk almost fell face-first into the freezing terrain, barely managing to keep her distance - precariously balancing on one leg for a moment. The Ruins had opened into a frozen, pitch black and blue forest and Flowey was nowhere to be seen. The roof of the mountain was dark and not much light illuminated anything. Nevertheless, Frisk could see. The sudden cold made the burns sting even more, reacting to the sudden change in temperature. "Okay, this has to be the last thing I was expecting". Frisk muttered to herself, looking around the forest as she kept her voice down in case any monsters were nearby.

Wincing at the sudden pain and attempting to keep her face warm by holding the hem of her sweater over it Frisk walked forwards on a snow path that seemed to have been marked out by some deeper, lighter snow as Frisk thought to herself. "How are there trees and everything else down here with no sunlight? Must've adapted". Frisk thought to herself her eyes darting around the dark, silent forest.

Frisk kept her voice down and kept glancing around the eerily silent forest. A few birds were chirping, how they survived down here Frisk didn't know. Aside from the birds, the forest was deathly silent. Not a single twig cracked and the still branches were all but frozen in place. Not a single sound was heard except for Frisk's light footfalls in the snow.

"Is, is anyone here?". Frisk said to herself quietly as she jumped over a very large branch that had fallen from a tree above her and she continued her walk. She kept glancing into the dark trees as even the smallest movement by some wildlife made the young girl jump in fright until, when she was about ten metres away from the large branch she heard a loud, echoing crash of breaking timber and Frisk whipped around quickly. The branch she had jumped over was broken into pieces, as though it was nothing. Someone was following her.

Too terrified to speak, much less think clearly Frisk continued onwards but moving with a kind of terrified haste until, on her left, she heard the sound of heavy, rapid footsteps in the snow and she spun around to see a short, shadowy figure that was still taller than she was running through the trees. The darkness coating his body as Frisk's green eyes widened and seemed to illuminate the path ahead of her, the eerie silent forest seemingly consuming her hearing.

"Run, just run. Forget it and go hide somewhere". Frisk told herself as she broke into a rapid sprint, forgetting about keeping her voice and footsteps silent as she ran as fast as she could along the snow. running through the slippery snow, all her experience of climbing a snowy mountain, the very same mountain the Underground was in during winter serving her well as she quickly stopped to a walk once she was sure she had outrun the figure, whoever it was, not that Frisk cared right now.

"I don't know who that was, but I'm not staying to find out. I'll just have to keep going quietly". Frisk muttered to herself as she continued forwards, too scared to break into a run again in case she alerted the possibly hostile figure to her location. The forest was still silent, not a single tree waved, and the birds had stopped chirping, making the forest as silent as the grave, Frisk's bright clothing working against her at the moment.

Frisk was afraid to even make a sound. Her green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness and even the smallest sound made the child jump, everything from a twig napping in the consuming darkness to a simple bit of snow shifting alerted the terrified young girl. Eventually Frisk walked slowly towards a bridge that had bars blocking one end that were too wide to stop any human, or indeed anyone at all. The bars were spaced out at somewhere between one and two metres between each one, a deep chasm below the bridge that Frisk looked down into easily, she wasn't afraid of heights.

"Alright. This is weird. Who exactly was that meant to stop?". Frisk said but she forgot to keep her voice down, realising her mistake a second later but to late. Frisk heard heavy, familiar footsteps in the snow behind her, Frisk froze in place, her eyes widened in terror as she recognised those footsteps, the heavy thud on the snow behind her. This was the monster who had stalked her through the forest, he had found her, she was cornered and paralysed with fear, keeping silent and unable to think clearly.

"Human. Don't you know how to greet a new friend? Turn around and shake my hand". A deep voice issued from behind Frisk. The young girl was terrified, she was caught, this monster would kill her. Toriel was right, she had been stupid to leave, she should have gone back upstairs.

"Well this is rude. Don't worry. I can tell you're a bit 'chilled to the bone'. You're safe with me. Believe me, you're doing a ton better than the last kid who died here. He tried to attack me". The deep voice issued again as he held his hand out again, but his voice was slightly reassuring although Frisk suspected that this was false, especially due to the mention of dead children. "That must be one of the children Toriel mentioned! I, I have to get away from him!? But how?". Frisk asked herself, searching for an escape route except she couldn't see one, much to her denial and terror. The monster was waiting patiently behind her, he had recognised her for a human instantly.

Frisk could see no way out of this, so she turned around quickly and grasped the monster's hand with barely a seconds delay but an obscene sound issued from the monster's hand, Frisk keeping her head down but after hearing this comedic introduction she quickly looked upwards. Frisk and the monster started grinning, but the monster started laughing as his face seemed to lighten up and the atmosphere was suddenly more light and friendly, the feeling of dread centred around this monster obliterated.

"Ha ha. The whoopie cushion in the hand trick. It's always funny. Especially when people least expect it". The monster said, his voice lost a bit of its deep tone but was still deep nonetheless. The monster was still laughing, nearly doubled over with how well he had scared Frisk.

Frisk just stood there, shocked at the monster's suddenly friendly tone. This monster seemed nice enough despite stalking her through a deadly silent forest. Had Toriel been wrong to call every monster a killer? obviously if this was the first monster she met, a skeleton with a penchant for jokes.

"Anyways. I'm Sans. Sans the skeleton". Sans said to Frisk, smiling at the young child who was lost for words at the suddenly casual turn of this encounter. Was this really the monster she had perceived to be terrifying? He seemed rather harmless and actually, now that she has thought about it. Toriel had said there were many comedians in the Underground. Sans had just made a very comedic introduction, so he was undoubtedly one of them.

He looked rather short but was taller than Frisk. Around five foot four, wearing a blue hoodie on top of a white T shirt with black tracksuit pants and sneakers. He had a wide but kind smile on his skull as he looked at the young girl. He had small white pupils in the middle of his eye sockets and looked rather out of shape. His bones were pearly white but a small bit of the colour was dulled slightly by the dark forest around them. "You never gave me your name. Usually when someone greets ya you give them your name as well. Or is this just a thing humans do?". Sans asked, looking at the perplexed Frisk with a slight bit of incredulity.

"Umm. I'm Frisk. Hi Sans". Frisk told Sans, still unsure as to what his real intentions with her were, after all, his first sight of Frisk and been under a terrifying mask. Although he had taken that mask and destroyed it with his funny and peaceful greeting of Frisk she was still slightly disbelieving of his kind nature. After what had happened with Flowey Frisk had incentive not to trust Sans entirely.

"That's a nice name". Sans replied, a sincere tone in his deep voice. "Look I know this may seem like a lazy excuse. Heck I know it's lazy but I'm a sentry here in the forest. My station is just up ahead, and I'm meant to capture humans but honestly I don't really care for it all that much". Sans said slowly but Frisk look relieved.

"That's good for me. Thanks. Really makes my side it all this easier. I'm not goi to ask about the laziness though". Frisk told Sans as the monster smiled, again with a sincere expression. "Happy to help. My brother Papyrus though. He's a completely different story. He's a human hunting fanatic. By hunting I mean he just makes me complete a couple of puzzles to ensure they work just right and then improvises from there". "All he's been talking about for a week is capturing humans. He thinks it's his life calling or something". Sans told Frisk as Frisk couldn't help but feel slightly worried about Papyrus, although the way Sans talked about puzzles concerning Papyrus made Frisk sure that they were much larger and more elaborate than a simple jigsaw puzzle.

"Is he dangerous?". Frisk asked quickly but Sans started laughing and Frisk gave him a serious look but couldn't help smiling herself, Sans seemed to be just one of those people who spread a calming, happy atmosphere.

"Dangerous? Not really. I mean if you get him angry then yeah sure but same goes for me. He's really cool though. He's the one who made the bars here. Gotta admit, not the greatest work he's done but it's more than me. At least, not since I was a kid. He works himself 'down to the bone'". Sans replied, pointing out the widely spaced bars.

"Looks like he put a lot of effort into it. If this isn't his best, then I would love to see his best work". Frisk said as she looked back at the bars. Now she noticed the engravings and the words. 'Built by The Great Papyrus' were engraved in small text on one of the bars.

"You have nice taste kid. I respect that. Putting on a good impression here with that attitude. Wait is that him over there?". Sans said to Frisk while she admired the artistic engravings on the bars, suddenly tensing up. Frisk looked up and saw the shadowy figure of a much taller and slimmer skeleton marching towards them as Frisk backed away. The figure that was obviously Papyrus wasn't intimidating to Frisk although the fact that Sans had labelled him as a human hunting fanatic made him slightly intimidating to Frisk.

"Quick come with me but stay behind me. Can't afford for Pap to see ya yet. Even if he wants to. Don't worry about him being taller than me, Pap, umm, gets a little tunnel visioned at times when he's focused". Sans said, his voice had a tone of urgency in it that Frisk could not ignore. Sans walked through the bars casually and Frisk followed as they entered a much more open area with a wooden hut-like sentry station on the far right. Frisk looking around Sans's shoulder to see they were roughly five metres away from Papyrus himself.

"Heya Pap. What's up?" Sans said in front of Frisk, his deep voice carrying a kind of calm echo as Frisk edged slightly closer to Sans to conceal herself further. A much higher voice answered but Papyrus's voice had a certain care to it that Frisk liked, she couldn't help smiling as she listened to Papyrus. "I didn't expect him to sound like that". Frisk thought to herself as she listening to Papyrus from behind Sans's back.

"Aside from the rocks you know what is up Sans!". Papyrus answered loudly. "You are just lazing around not doing anything! Do you actually do anything with your job Sans? Asgore gave us these jobs for a reason. Also, have you made ANY puzzles or traps to capture humans? Or is it just considered some kind of weird fetish of mine? Most likely that. The Great Papyrus is a master puzzle builder after all". Papyrus added, sounding extremely irritated as Sans as the shorter skeleton chuckled.

"Relax Pap I know. Besides a got a ton of work done today. A skele-ton" Sans joked. Frisk tried desperately to hide her laughter, but Papyrus heard the noise. "Sans I will let that one slide but what was that sound?" Papyrus asked. Behind Sans Frisk's eyes widened in terror. "If Papyrus finds me what would he do? I trust Sans since he's sticking his neck out for me. I didn't even give him a reason to either, but I have a feeling Papyrus would, well, do what the monsters are said to do in those stories". Frisk muttered to herself near silently, but Sans softly nudged her with his elbow and Frisk did the same back to snow she understood the silent meaning.

"Must've just been something in the woods". Sans said, and Papyrus seemed calm. "Thanks Sans. After all, you do kind acts without expecting much of a reward most of the time. Good advice me". Frisk said to herself silently. Her extensive experiences on the Surface had allowed her to give good advice to others and be able to take it herself.

"Well I hope it doesn't happen again, that was a bit worrying. Nevertheless, I will capture a human eventually Sans. I, The Great Papyrus must be the one to capture a human. I just hope it doesn't go the same way as last time". Papyrus said, his voice suddenly dropping to a mournful tone at the end.

"It won't happen Pap. You know your strength now and besides you look a bit sleepy. Sure you aren't 'bone' tired?". Sans said to Papyrus, grinning at his joke. This time Frisk hid her laughter successfully but only after covering her mouth with the sleeve of her jumper.

Frisk peeked around Sans's side to get a proper look at Papyrus. She saw that this skeleton was indeed much taller, slimmer and look generally much more fit than his brother. He was wearing half a set of white chest armour with a red scarf he had fashioned into a cape around his neck. Blue and white leg armour crossed with jeans on his lower body. The chest armour left half his spine and arms exposed. His skull was taller than it was wide. He had a strangely curved, bar like object strapped to his back that with embroidered in gold thread that ended in a slimmer bar with an object that looked like a hilt producing from the upwards angle, the red sling ran from his shoulder to the edge of his armour. "How hasn't he seen me yet? Oh right". Frisk asked herself silently, taking in Papyrus's towering height. He was slightly taller than Toriel, Frisk also answered her own question by remembering what Sans had said to her shortly before.

"Sans. I will now attend to my puzzles. Make sure you actually do something relating to your job for once you lazybones... sorry, that was unwarranted". Papyrus said in a tone of finality as he marched off proudly, even from behind Frisk could tell he was deep in thought, his short cape flowing behind him. "Alright, you can come out now". Sans said once Papyrus was far enough away and Frisk walked out from behind Sans's back, a relieved smile on her face "That was kind of scary. I thought he would find me when I laughed. Thanks for your help. You weren't kidding about the tunnel vision". Frisk said gratefully to Sans as he returned her smile.

"Don't sweat it, kid. Hey... you know you have a beautiful smile right?". Sans asked as Frisk looked flattered, blushing slightly as she answered quickly. "No one has ever told me that before". Frisk said to Sans, looking happily up at the skeleton as he returned a smile.

"Then those people must be as blind as a skeleton without a head. I reckon I'm gonna like you Frisk". Sans said smiling. "Anyways. Welcome to the Underground".

"The Underground? Oh, yeah, humans call this place that as well. Toriel did as well". Frisk said, saying the last sentence in her mind as Sans chuckled. "I bet they tell all the old war stories, about the whole monsters attacked humans thing. Even if that isn't true". Sans said, muttering the final segment as Frisk felt her interest heighten. The human recount of the feud between these two races might be incorrect. She had only ever heard these stories as a bedtime story when she was younger, but she took a personal interest to them by looking through the city's historical records in the local library.

"Meh, anyway it ain't your fault but it's the other way around, I'll talk about that later, now we've got other problems on our hands. Like your inevitable discovery by Papyrus". Sans said as Frisk answered. "We'll be alright, just, don't creep me out like that again". Frisk told Sans as he replied. "Snow problem Frisk".

"I guess it's just called that, not the greatest name but it's a bedtime story anyway. I could be down here for a long time. I'm not sure if i'm alright with that or not. Although, if Papyrus is nice on the inside, he seems funny enough on the outside. I think I could get used to this". Frisk muttered to herself, giving Sans a smile as she spoke.


End file.
